Yangluo Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Yangluo Bridge is a suspension bridge
near Wuhan
in the Hubei province
of China
. With a main span of 1280 metres (4,199.5 ft), it is tied with the Golden Gate Bridge
for the ninth longest suspension bridge in the world. The purpose of the bridge is to carry the recently constructed Wuhan Ring Road over the Yangtze River
and provide easy access to both sides of the river as part of a larger plan to promote development in the eastern portion of the city. Construction on the bridge began on November 4, 2003 and it opened to traffic on December 26, 2007.
. The first was the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
, known locally as the First Bridge, built in 1957. This remained the only land link across the river for the next four decades and it became increasingly congested
as the city grew. To alleviate the crowding on the bridge and promote further development in the city, Wuhan's government began an ambitious program in the early 1990s to upgrade the city's infrastructure by building new bridges and freeways around the city. Two further road crossings near the center of the city (the Second Bridge
and Third Bridge
), were completed in 1995 and 2000 respectively. The Yangluo Bridge is located about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) downstream from these bridges and together with the 10 km of new freeways constructed concurrently, forms the last major portion of the Wuhan Ring Road.
and built with assistance from Dorman Long Technology, a UK
-based heavy-lift construction contractor. It has a total length of 1970 metres (6,463.3 ft) with a main span of 1280 metres (4,199.5 ft) and approach spans of 250 metres (820.2 ft) and 440 metres (1,443.6 ft) on the north and south banks respectively.
The bridge's deck is made of prefabricated concrete sections with an epoxy asphalt roadbed. It also includes a 3-metre (9.8 ft) thick steel brace structure with girders at 14 metre intervals under the main deck to stiffen the bridge against the wind. The two main cables that support the deck are 83 centimetres (32.7 in) in diameter and each consists of 19,558 5.35 mm steel wires arranged in 154 strands. The portion of the cables over the shorter northern approach span include an additional eight strands to withstand the greater force exerted on them because of the smaller ratio in relation to the length of the main span. The north and south support towers for the main cables are 163.3 metres (535.8 ft) and 169.8 metres (557.1 ft) tall respectively and constructed of reinforced concrete
with two prestressed concrete
x-braces
on each tower to provide lateral stiffening.
Coincidentally, the bridge's main span of 1280 metres (4,199.5 ft) is exactly the same length as the famous Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco, California
that opened 70 years prior.
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
near Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
in the Hubei province
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. With a main span of 1280 metres (4,199.5 ft), it is tied with the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
for the ninth longest suspension bridge in the world. The purpose of the bridge is to carry the recently constructed Wuhan Ring Road over the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
and provide easy access to both sides of the river as part of a larger plan to promote development in the eastern portion of the city. Construction on the bridge began on November 4, 2003 and it opened to traffic on December 26, 2007.
History
The Yangluo Bridge is the fourth span to be constructed over the Yangtze at WuhanWuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
. The first was the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge , commonly known as First Wuhan Yangtze Bridge, is the first bridge built over the Yangtze River in Wuhan.-Timing:...
, known locally as the First Bridge, built in 1957. This remained the only land link across the river for the next four decades and it became increasingly congested
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
as the city grew. To alleviate the crowding on the bridge and promote further development in the city, Wuhan's government began an ambitious program in the early 1990s to upgrade the city's infrastructure by building new bridges and freeways around the city. Two further road crossings near the center of the city (the Second Bridge
Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
The Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is a bridge across the Yangtze River in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. It is located northeast of the historic central area of the city's Hankou District.-Construction:...
and Third Bridge
Third Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
thumb|right|250px|Wuhan's Third Yangtze River Bridge at Baishazhou.The Third Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is a highway bridge over the Yangtze River in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. It is located 6.8 kilometers southwest of the First Bridge...
), were completed in 1995 and 2000 respectively. The Yangluo Bridge is located about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) downstream from these bridges and together with the 10 km of new freeways constructed concurrently, forms the last major portion of the Wuhan Ring Road.
Design
The bridge was designed by the China Communications Construction CompanyChina Communications Construction
China Communications Construction Company Group, China Communications in short form, is an infrastructure and engineering group based on mainland China.- History :...
and built with assistance from Dorman Long Technology, a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based heavy-lift construction contractor. It has a total length of 1970 metres (6,463.3 ft) with a main span of 1280 metres (4,199.5 ft) and approach spans of 250 metres (820.2 ft) and 440 metres (1,443.6 ft) on the north and south banks respectively.
The bridge's deck is made of prefabricated concrete sections with an epoxy asphalt roadbed. It also includes a 3-metre (9.8 ft) thick steel brace structure with girders at 14 metre intervals under the main deck to stiffen the bridge against the wind. The two main cables that support the deck are 83 centimetres (32.7 in) in diameter and each consists of 19,558 5.35 mm steel wires arranged in 154 strands. The portion of the cables over the shorter northern approach span include an additional eight strands to withstand the greater force exerted on them because of the smaller ratio in relation to the length of the main span. The north and south support towers for the main cables are 163.3 metres (535.8 ft) and 169.8 metres (557.1 ft) tall respectively and constructed of reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
with two prestressed concrete
Prestressed concrete
Prestressed concrete is a method for overcoming concrete's natural weakness in tension. It can be used to produce beams, floors or bridges with a longer span than is practical with ordinary reinforced concrete...
x-braces
X-bracing
X-bracing is a structural engineering innovation developed by Fazlur Khan. This concept reduces the lateral load on the building by transferring the load into the exterior columns. This allows for a reduced need for interior columns thus creating more floor space. This concept can be seen in the...
on each tower to provide lateral stiffening.
Coincidentally, the bridge's main span of 1280 metres (4,199.5 ft) is exactly the same length as the famous Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
that opened 70 years prior.
See also
- Wuhan Yangtze River BridgeWuhan Yangtze River BridgeThe Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge , commonly known as First Wuhan Yangtze Bridge, is the first bridge built over the Yangtze River in Wuhan.-Timing:...
- Second Wuhan Yangtze River BridgeSecond Wuhan Yangtze River BridgeThe Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is a bridge across the Yangtze River in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. It is located northeast of the historic central area of the city's Hankou District.-Construction:...
- Third Wuhan Yangtze River BridgeThird Wuhan Yangtze River Bridgethumb|right|250px|Wuhan's Third Yangtze River Bridge at Baishazhou.The Third Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is a highway bridge over the Yangtze River in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. It is located 6.8 kilometers southwest of the First Bridge...
- Wuhan Tianxingzhou Yangtze River BridgeWuhan Tianxingzhou Yangtze River Bridgethumb|right|400px|Wuhan Tianxingzhou Yangtze River BridgeThe Wuhan Tianxingzhou Yangtze River Bridge is a combined road and rail bridge across the Yangtze River in the city of Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei Province of China....
- Wuhan Yangtze River TunnelWuhan Yangtze River TunnelThe Wuhan Yangtze River Tunnel , is the first tunnel crossing the Yangtze River. Trial operation commenced on Dec. 28, 2008 . It takes about 7 minutes to cross the Yangtze River by car using the tunnel....
- Yangtze River bridges and tunnels